Later this week, EU leaders will meet in Bratislava — minus one country. The Slovakia summit will be the first to take place without the UK. But Britain will loom large in discussions, as Europe grapples with Brexit.
The mood of EU leaders is understandably sombre. Sigmar Gabriel, the deputy chancellor of Germany, spoke for many when he warned that Britain must be shown that it cannot keep “the nice things” about the EU without paying a price. Any other approach, he said, would leave the bloc “in big trouble”.
Emotionally and politically, Mr Gabriel’s approach is understandable. Nonetheless, it is a mistake. Rather than treating Brexit as a threat, the EU should treat it as an opportunity. The process of negotiating a new relationship with Britain should be used to address the many other problems afflicting the union.
